Christmas Bird Count Summaries

Reports of the Annual Hanover-Norwich Christmas Bird Count

Hanover - Norwich Christmas Bird Count

Monday, January 1

Beginning at 7:00 a.m.

This year's Christmas Bird Count season marks the 118th anniversary of a tradition dating back to Christmas 1900. The first count was organized by ornithologist and Audubon Society board member Frank M.Chapman as a conservation minded alternative to the "Christmas Side Hunt" where teams sportsment went afield to see how many birds and mammals they could shoot.

Geographic areas are divided up into "count circles" fifteen miles in diameter covering the same ground every year. Teams of counters routes within them.

If you'd like to participate in a count that's near you, visit the following sites.

For more information about this event, please contact organizer Walter Ellison

e-mail: rossgull61@gmail.com﻿

Meet in front of the Hopkins Center at 7:00 a.m.﻿

﻿

January 1st, 2013

Total Species: 54 (plus 4 for count week), (54 in 2001-2, record 58 in 1999-2000)

Total Individuals: 12,676 (previous record was 11,971 in 2002)

31 participants in 11 parties, plus 1 feeder

Hours: 90.25 (56 car, 34.25 foot)

Miles: 569.5 (539.3 car, 30.2 foot)

Bold type indicates significant species or record high totals; CW=seen during count week

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Count day featured up to 12” of snow on the ground, overcast morning skies with a few brief flurries and emerging afternoon sun, and temperatures in the chilly low 20s. The Eastern Towhee in Hanover was a first count record, as was Hoary Redpoll in Norwich (count week). Wood Duck, Green-winged Teal, Rough-legged Hawk, & Merlin were third records in 51 years; Chipping Sparrow (6th time) and Hermit Thrush (7th time). Record counts this year were Mallard (previous record 625 last year), Bald Eagle (previous record 7), American Crow (previous record 5140), and Carolina Wren (crushed previous record of 9); Am. Tree Sparrow nearly reached the record count of 270 from 1972.

Canada Goose 1 (injured)

Wood Duck 1 (male, mouth MascomaR)

American Black Duck 20

Mallard 840

[Black x Mallard hybrid] 5

Green-winged Teal 1 (male, Lebanon)

Common Goldeneye 1

Hooded Merganser 50

Common Merganser 70

Wild Turkey 215

Bald Eagle 9 (3 adult, 6 imm.)

Sharp-shinned Hawk 2

Cooper’s Hawk 4

Red-tailed Hawk 9

Rough-legged Hawk 1 (dark, NNorwich)

Merlin 1 (West Leb)

Ring-billed Gull CW

Rock Pigeon 503

Mourning Dove 367

Barred Owl CW

Downy Woodpecker 70

Hairy Woodpecker 58

Pileated Woodpecker 4

Northern Shrike 1

Blue Jay 271

American Crow 6000 (evening roost, Leb)

Common Raven 28

Black-capped Chickadee 1509

Tufted Titmouse 106

Red-breasted Nuthatch 26

White-breasted Nuthatch 135

Brown Creeper 16

Carolina Wren 18

Golden-crowned Kinglet 34

Hermit Thrush 1 (Hanover)

American Robin 32

Northern Mockingbird 4

European Starling 585

Bohemian Waxwing 38

Cedar Waxwing 12

Eastern Towhee 1 (Hanover)

Am. Tree Sparrow 260

Chipping Sparrow 1 (WRJ)

Song Sparrow 3

White-throated Sparrow 9

Dark-eyed Junco 246

Snow Bunting 35

Cardinal 90

Brown-headed Cowbird CW

Pine Grosbeak 58

Purple Finch 4

House Finch 92

White-winged Crossbill 1

Common Redpoll 283

Hoary Redpoll CW

Pine Siskin 2

American Goldfinch 70

Evening Grosbeak 14

House Sparrow 459

﻿Special thanks to event coordinators and co-compilers Walter Ellison, Nancy Martin & Dan Crook ﻿for all they did to make this possible.